Our pal Annie learned something last week on her way to 16th and Valencia. Here’s how it starts:

I was walking quickly on 16th Street, keenly aware of the six minutes that remained before I’d be late — and I hate being late — when I heard a man call out to a woman. “Excuse me! Miss?” he said. I kept walking. He kept calling. Then I turned and realized he was talking to me.

I am ashamed to admit that when a strange man approaches me in the city, my first instinct is to wonder if he wants money or to sexually harass me. Because of this response, I am always a little guarded. I looked at the man slowly.

speaking as a guy, i think girls in this city have a reason to keep a guard up. i’ve heard too many stories of creepy/awful things happening to girls i know because they let some stranger on the street within arms’ reach. it’s too bad for all the nice guys, but there are a lot of creeps in this city.